


Icy Dawn

by ScribbleTheCalico



Series: Jeanette's Old Warriors Fic [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-19 14:03:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 14,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4749059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribbleTheCalico/pseuds/ScribbleTheCalico
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Clans have left, Ravenpaw and Barley deal with the continuing destruction of the forest and a new threat from BloodClan, now led by Barley's brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Leafpool2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leafpool2/gifts).



> The single most important thing to note about this fic is that I wrote it when I was thirteen and have made very little changes to it since then. I found it handwritten in a three-ring binder in my desk drawer and figured the next generation of Warriors fans might enjoy it.
> 
> Also, this is tagged as Canon Divergence because, as I understand, there is now a manga that follows Barley and Ravenpaw after the Clans leave the forest. However, at the time I was writing this, anything in the forest after the Clans left was fair game. Let me repeat: this fic is literally so old that I completed it before the mangas started.
> 
> I don't actually remember the plot of this work, so I am just as surprised by any twists or turns as you are. Hence the comments at the end of each chapter are my actual reactions to rereading my own work. It has been six years, after all.
> 
> (Elements of this story are taken from Barley's backstory found in the Warriors Field Guide, but the story is retold in a later chapter if you are unfamiliar with it,)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the battle with BloodClan, Barley and Ravenpaw are followed by an old enemy.

The stars shone down on the crisp night. Fallen leaves fluttered slowly as the cool breeze caught them. The leafless trees whispered as wind whistled gently through their branches.

Two shapes, dark against the night, padded forward at a steady pace. Cobwebs stretched over wounds covering their sore bodies, holding down the herb pulp that was smeared all over their fur.

One of the cats, a skinny black tom, flicked his white-tipped tail with annoyance. “Barley,” he mewed to the black-and-white tom beside him, “please tell me! I’m so confused! Why won’t you just tell me what is going on?” He shot a glance at Barley. “Who are those cats? Why did they try to kill someone?” he pestered.

Barley glanced up at the night sky. “Ravenpaw,” he growled, “you’ve been pestering me ever since we left Fourtrees. Why do you need to know? Why can’t you just mind your own business?”

Ravenpaw flinched, but meowed, “You know me, Barley. I’m curious! And…” Ravenpaw glanced around, “it sounds like you’re in danger. Are you?”

“Well, yeah, if someone just swore to get revenge on me.” Barley muttered.

“You really should tell him!” A new voice spoke from the bushes to the toms’ right. Both cats whirled to see a huge white cat sneering at them. The newcomer was also covered in wounds, but he was not so lucky to have poultices and herbs on them. One bite on his foreleg still oozed blood.

Barley’s eyes clouded over with anger and fear. “Ice.” he snarled. Ice’s eyes wandered over to Ravenpaw, and then back to Barley. “You should tell him.” He repeated, his voice full of menace. “You’ll need all the help you can get!” Without warning, Ice flung himself on Barley.

Yowling, Ravenpaw darted over to help his friend. Barley squirmed under Ice, the greater weight pinning him down. Ravenpaw leapt on Ice’s back. He sank his teeth into Ice’s shoulder and dragged him off. Ice turned and flew onto Ravenpaw, only to be knocked aside by Barley.

Hissing, spitting, and cursing, Ice backed away. “I’ll have my revenge on you!” He snarled out at Barley. “I will find you one day! You will pay for what you did to Snake!” And with a final spit, Ice disappeared into the darkness under the bushes.

“I am ashamed to call you my brother!” Barley yowled after him.

* * *

 

Ice stomped across the moorland towards Twolegplace, letting his anger spill out in short wordless hisses and spits. Barley had killed Snake, and when he had tried to take his revenge, Barley had avoided him and defeated him like he was a tiny, mewling kit! He obviously needed a different plan. An ingenious plan.

_I’m gonna have fun when I get back to town!_

* * *

 

Ravenpaw did not speak at all on the way back to the barn. His mind was whirling. What had Barley meant by, _I am ashamed to call you my brother?_

“Ravenpaw?”

“Yes, Barley?” He was confused by Barley’s wary tone. He squeezed into the barn. With a sigh, Barley pushed in after him.

“Are you sure you still want to know?” he asked. Ravenpaw nodded. “All right.” Barley meowed, settling down in the hay. “Listen carefully…”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravenpaw is haunted by mysterious dreams while the destruction of the forest continues.

Ravenpaw dropped a plump mouse before Firestar, and then padded away down the slope of Highstones. He would regret walking away without mewing a better farewell, but it was too painful. All the Clans were leaving the forest for the last time in search of a new home. The Twolegs had destroyed the forest; channeled away the river, churned the earth to useless mud, and scared away all the prey with their monsters.  
  
Ravenpaw stopped at the base of the slope and glanced back to where the Clan cats had disappeared. There was no sound from above. Ravenpaw could not bear it. He ran back up the slope. He reached the top to see that no one was there. There was no scent, sound, not a trace that they had been there. He cast a wild glance to the Twolegplace below him. They were not there.  
  
_Where had the Clans gone?_  
  
A yowl battered Ravenpaw's ears. He tensed, his fur bristling. The yowl came again, and Ravenpaw felt himself slipping down to the rocky ground. An unbearable pain came to his spine. Ravenpaw gasped and shivered as his senses faded.

* * *

 

Ravenpaw sat bolt upright. He gasped for air and shuddered from nose to tail-tip with relief as he realized he was in the barn where he and Barley lived. He was safe; it had all been a dream. The Clans had left many seasons ago. Ravenpaw drew in another wavering breath and stood.  
  
"You're awake at last!" Barley's warm mew took Ravenpaw by surprise. He hadn't seen the black-and-white tom lying idly on the hay in the shadows. Barley stood and stretched. "You've slept like a log!" he exclaimed. "Are you all right?" he asked. "You're shaking."  
  
"I--I'm fine." Ravenpaw stammered. "Just a nightmare." He rose from the hay. "Let's hunt."  
  
"I'll see if I can find something outside." Barley mewed, and pushed his way out through the small hole.  
  
Ravenpaw sniffed and followed the enticing mouse scent to a stack of hay in the shadowy corner. A mouse nibbled on a seed a few tail-lengths away. Ravenpaw remembered his hunting lessons from ThunderClan long ago, and lowered himself into a crouch. He placed one paw lightly down in front of the other, trying to step as softly as possible. He creeped forward until he was less than half a tail-length away. Then he sprang and captured the mouse between his paws. He killed it with a swift blow to its neck.  
  
After catching two more mice in the same fashion, Ravenpaw settled down on the hay to eat. As he tucked into the mice, he thought about his dream. He had heard that yowl before, but who's was it? It was not Firestar's, it was not Graystripe's...it wasn't anyone in the Clans! Maybe he would meet a new cat soon. Or maybe it was just a bad dream that had no meaning for him to worry about.  
  
Ravenpaw sighed as he finished the last mouse.  _Where is Barley?_ He wondered. The black-and-white tom should have been back by now. Ravenpaw padded over to the small hole in the barn and peered out, alert for any sign of his friend.  
  
He saw Barley almost instantly, racing towards the barn faster than Ravenpaw had ever seen him run. Barley's eyes were wide with fear. When he noticed Ravenpaw, he yowled, "Ravenpaw, come on!" Ravenpaw was too confused to move. Barley ran even faster toward the barn and grabbed Ravenpaw's scruff in his teeth. He started to drag Ravenpaw out.  
  
"Wha-" Ravenpaw's question broke off as a huge Twoleg monster roared over the top of the hill. Understanding at once, Ravenpaw broke free of Barley's grip and darted away from the barn and the monster. Barley was hard on his heels.  
  
The two loners ran until they were bounding up a slope. At the top, Ravenpaw paused while Barley raced past him. The black tom turned his head back to see the monster run into the barn. Wood splintered. Hay burst out and fluttered around the monster before settling on the ground. The roof of the barn toppled and crashed to the earth. Mice darted out everywhere.  
  
In a time that could have been a heartbeat or a few seasons, the barn was destroyed. The place where Ravenpaw had made his home--gone, just like that.  
  
Barley pressed against Ravenpaw's side to comfort him. He barely noticed. The loner gently began to nudge him down the slope. Ravenpaw allowed himself to be guided like a kit all the way out of Twolegplace as the two friends searched for something that they might call home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I wrote short chapters when I was thirteen.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravenpaw and Barley find unexpected friends in the ruins of the forest.

Ravenpaw's paws dragged with exhaustion across the mud that was once moorland. His eyes kept closing and he could barely walk. The monster crushing the barn kept replaying in his mind. In that barn he had found refuge and safety from everything he had feared in ThunderClan. He had fled there to escape Tigerstar, who had wanted to kill him to keep him quiet about the fact the Tigerstar had murdered Redtail, the ThunderClan deputy.  
  
Now his last refuge was gone.  
  
Barley obviously noticed his exhaustion. "Why don't we stop here for the night?" he suggested. Ravenpaw nodded, noticing the moon peeking up over the horizon.  
  
It wasn't a very good spot to rest. A lone tree bent over, dying. Barley and Ravenpaw lay in the mud, trying to get comfortable. Barley fell asleep quickly; Ravenpaw could tell by his even breathing. But for a long time, Ravenpaw lay staring at the stars.

* * *

 

When Ravenpaw did fall asleep, he dreamed. He was back on the slope of Highstones. He felt himself turn and bound upwards to the summit.  
  
_Not again!_ He thought. But there was no controlling his paws this time. He reached the summit easily, but as in his last dream, no one was there. He shuddered inwardly as the same yowl pierced his ears; a yowl filled with terror, anger and pain. Colors whirled in his senses. Ravenpaw bounded forward nonetheless. He knew that he had to help!  
  
_Wait. Help who?_  
  
Ravenpaw dashed onward, but something new happened. Just before he slipped to the ground again, he saw a pair of malicious yellow eyes glinting at him from a cave that had not been there before. Then Ravenpaw slid to the ground. It all happened again: terrible pain in his spine, accompanied by a massive crack like the breaking of bone. All of his senses slipped from him, but before his sight left him, he saw the eyes once more, glittering cruelly in the darkness. Then he felt nothing.

* * *

 

Ravenpaw's head jerked up. It was before dawn. He shuddered violently, gasping for air. After several wavering breaths, he looked about. His eyes widened with horror as he saw eyes in the shadows. Not in real life, too!  
  
"Ravenpaw?"  
  
Ravenpaw blinked. It was Barley. The loner was staring at him with worry in his eyes. "Ravenpaw?" he repeated. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm f-f-fine." Ravenpaw stammered.  
  
"You don't look so good." Barley mewed. He began nosing Ravenpaw everywhere like a medicine cat.  
  
"Barley!" Ravenpaw meowed, pulling away from Barley's nose. "I told you, I'm fine! I'm okay!"  
  
Barley didn't look so sure, but he nodded and padded off. Ravenpaw could tell that Barley didn't know where he was going, but he didn't say anything. The two cats crossed the mud and approached what was  
once RiverClan territory. It hadn't been affected much. Ravenpaw noticed that some prey had come in, but not enough to support a Clan.  A few cats could live here.  
  
After a while, Ravenpaw suggested, "Let's hunt." Barley quickly agreed, and they stalked off in opposite directions.  
  
Before long, Ravenpaw heard rustles in the dying ferns behind him. The skinny vole he was stalking darted off.  Ravenpaw whirled around, ready to confront whatever had frightened off his prey. As he turned, a ginger shape shot out of the ferns and cannoned into Ravenpaw.  
  
Ravenpaw gasped as he was knocked to the ground. He  immediately  realized that this cat was old and frail, and that he was stronger. Then he noticed  another shape streaking out, a white blur. Ravenpaw flew up and knocked the ginger tabby away. A yowl at his side told him that Barley had come to his aid.  
  
Ravenpaw noticed with horror that two more cats had come out, a dark gray she-cat and a heavyset gray tom. But as they stood glaring at each other,  Ravenpaw recognized two of them.  
  
"Speckletail! Frostfur!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Ravenpaw?" Frostfur asked. "And Barley?" She blinked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Our barn was destroyed." Barley answered.  
  
"And we sort of wandered out here." Ravenpaw finished.  
  
Speckletail nodded. "There was still enough prey here to support a few cats. When the Clans left the...oh." She trailed off. "Of course. You didn't know they left."  
  
"Yes we did."Ravenpaw mewed. "We met Firestar and the Clans on their way out of the forest."  
  
"All right." the gray she-cat mewed. "I'm Shadepelt, and this is Loudbelly."  
  
"Come on." Loudbelly flicked his tail. "We can continue this at the camp."  
  
Barley blinked. "Camp?" he asked.  
  
"The RiverClan camp." Frostfur answered. "We've been staying there."  
  
"What about hunting?" Ravenpaw inquired. "I just lost a pretty good vole."  
  
"Sorry." Speckletail mewed. "I didn't recognize you. I thought you were a rogue."  
  
"That's okay." Ravenpaw told her. "I'll just find something else." And with that, Ravenpaw padded off toward a clump of tall brown grass.  
  
_This is good._ He thought. _Some cats to stay with, enough prey to survive, and a good distance from Twolegs._ But Ravenpaw had no way of knowing that Twolegs were going to be the least of his problems in the moons ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going to ignore the fact the Speckletail, Frostfur, Shadepelt, and Loudbelly are all old as balls. They get to do really cool stuff in later chapters, if I recall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravenpaw continues to be haunted by the same dream, and the group rescues a loner from a dog.

Ravenpaw pounded unwillingly up the slope of Highstones.  _Not again!_  he wanted to hiss. He had no control over his body. It had taken him over. Was he doomed to be haunted by this nightmare forever?  
  
The eyes. The terrible yellow eyes glittered in the cave, the cave that had not been there before. Then he slipped, but he realized that before he slid, he collided with something. What it was he could not tell...  
  
As the horrendous crack sounded, and the breaking of his spine began, a dog yapped noisily nearby, and cats yowled in a terrible commotion. But Ravenpaw's senses still faded...

* * *

 

Ravenpaw's eyes snapped open. He lay on the grass of the RiverClan camp, safe from his nightmare.  
  
With a jolt, he realized that the dog's barking from his dream continued. He sat up. Barley was at the entrance of the camp, peering out through the rushes, while the rest of the cats shifted uneasily behind.  
  
Barley pulled his head back and mewed quietly, "It's some poor cat being chased by a dog."  
  
Ravenpaw trotted over. "We should help him!" he told the others.  
  
Barley nodded, but the rest looked uncertain. "I think we should just wait for them both to go away." Shadepelt mewed irritably.  
  
"Besides," Speckletail added, "we're too old to go attacking dogs."  
  
"And this is coming from the cat who mistook me for a rogue and pinned me?" Ravenpaw asked. Speckletail looked away.  
  
Barley broke in. "It's a cat being chased by a dog. He really needs help!"  
  
No more needed to be said. The six cats bounded out of the camp and circled the dog. It was a large brown dog, and it looked annoyed at being unable to capture its prey. The black tom being chased by the dog saw the new cats and dashed over to join the circle beside Ravenpaw.  
  
"Just confuse it!" Ravenpaw hissed to him. "If it comes at you, run over to someone else!" At that moment, the dog lunged toward Ravenpaw. With a yowl, Ravenpaw bounded over to Frostfur with the beast hard on his heels. The white she-cat ran as fast as she could to Loudbelly, who crossed her and went to Barley. The loner swerved around behind the dog and clawed its hindquarters. It let out a yowl of agony and whipped around to confront Barley. Barley had not run to escape the claws of the dog. He was about to take a serious beating...  
  
Right then, the black tom that had been next to Ravenpaw dove at the dog with a wild hiss, clawing out tufts of fur with his thorn-sharp claws. The dog howled in pain. A Twoleg appeared over a hill and ran toward the dog, his face distorted with anger. He yowled at the dog and grabbed its collar. The cats scattered.  
  
Everyone met up again in the RiverClan camp. Barley walked next to the newcomer. He flopped gratefully on the short grass.  
  
"So, who are you?" Barley asked the tom.  
  
"My name is Coal." he answered, turning his head to lick a bleeding scratch on his hindleg.  
  
"Where did that come from?" Ravenpaw asked. Coal had not been injured during the fight with the dog.  
  
"A few seasons ago, I was caught by Twolegs and put in a nest. When I tried to fight them, they shoved me against something really sharp and I cut my leg. It's mostly healed, but I guess in that last attack, I opened it."  
  
Barley blinked gratefully at him. "Thanks." he mewed. " That dog probably would have killed me if you hadn't attacked it."  
  
Coal just nodded. He waited as the rest fo the cats introduced themselves.  
  
"Are you from Twolegplace, Coal?" Frostfur asked politely.  
  
"Twolegplace?" Coal asked, confused.  
  
"She means the town." Barley informed him.  
  
Coal nodded quickly. "Yes, I'm from the town." he answered. "I try to live my life peacefully there, but I...I was trying to find some live prey out here, and then the dog chased me." Coal didn't meet anyone's eyes as he spoke.  
  
"You  _try_  to live your life peacefully?" Barley asked him. "Why don't you?"  
  
"BloodClan." Coal answered gravely. "No cat can live in peace with BloodClan."  
  
"BloodClan?" Shadepelt asked. "We destroyed BloodClan when they came to the forest."  
  
"They've risen again." Coal told her. "Many think that their new leader is even more powerful than Scourge ever was."  
  
"Who is the new leader?" Loudbelly asked.  
  
Coal looked around nervously before responding. "Ice." he meowed. "Ice is the leader of BloodClan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to be alarmed by how little my writing style has changed in the past six years.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> News of Ice taking over BloodClan has Barley horrified, especially when he learns that their new friend has been lying to them.

Barley and Ravenpaw's eyes widened in horror. "No." Barley whispered hoarsely. "No...it can't be..." Then his eyes rolled and he slithered to the ground unconscious.  
  
"Barley!" Ravenpaw yowled. He crouched next to his friend and jabbed him with his nose and paw. "Are you sure?" he asked Coal. "Are you sure that it's Ice?"  
  
"Who's Ice?" Loudbelly asked. "Do you know someone in Twolegplace?"  
  
Ravenpaw was saved from having to answer by Barley sitting up. His eyes were closed and he was shivering in the greenleaf heat.  
  
Coal began speaking again. "Yes, Ice has taken over leadership of BloodClan.  His second-in-command is Fangs, a very unpleasant white tom. And he got a smart cat named Slurp to use the herbs and stuff to patch everybody up when they're hurt. But-"  
  
Speckletail interrupted him before he could continue. "How do you know so much about BloodClan?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"Uh..." Coal's eyes darted around nervously as he searched for an answer. "Everyone knows these things if you live in the town." he mewed, not meeting anyone's eyes.  
  
The cats separated to hunt. Ravenpaw quickly killed two scrawny mice and carried them by their tails back to the camp. After setting one down in front of Coal, he tore into his mouse and lay down to sleep.

* * *

 

Barley woke the next morning before the sun. He stood with a yawn, then realized that Coal was not there.  
  
Barley snapped his head over to look at the entrance to the camp and saw a black tail vanish out of camp. The loner crept out of the camp after Coal.  
  
Coal turned soon after leaving the camp and padded towards the Twolegplace. He's going back! Barley thought with realization. It was very easy to follow Coal. He stayed in sight the whole time and brushed against every dying bush he passed. It didn't take Barley long to figure out that he was deliberately leaving a scent trail. Did he want to be followed? Or did he just want to be able to find his way back? he wondered as the sun rose.  
  
Barley shook his head and continued to track Coal. Soon he was at the edge of Twolegplace. It was the first time Coal had stopped since Barley had begun to follow him. Then the black tom padded warily onto the hard stone of Twolegplace. Barley slunk behind Coal, brushing against Twoleg nests, feeling like every step was taking him closer to his past with BloodClan. He shuddered as he saw the alley where BloodClan lived. A white shape padded out. It was a massive tom.  
  
"Coal!" the newcomer cried. "You have news?" he asked.  
  
Coal just nodded and followed the new cat into the alley. Barley almost gasped. How was he supposed to follow them in there? Then he saw by the Twoleg nest opposite a stack of silver things smelling of Twoleg rubbish. He darted across, bounded onto the shining canisters, and onto the top of the nest. Creeping along, he stopped where he could see the alley.  
  
Coal sat in front of a huge pile or garbage and things the Twolegs had thrown out. The cat who had come out of the alley left Coal's side and disappeared behind the pile. A few moments later he came back and settled beside it.  
  
From the other side of the pile strolled out a huge white cat, bigger even than the first cat. Barley recognized him immediately.  
  
"Ice." he whispered as his brother bounded up the pile of trash.  
  
"Coal!" Ice called down. "I assume you have news of the whereabouts of my brother, Barley?" he asked icily.  
  
Coal raised his head and looked straight into Ice's blue eyes. "Yes, I have news." he meowed.  
  
Barley felt as if his stomach was in his paws.  _Coal had been spying on us?_ He thought. Now Ice would find him and probably attempt to kill him. Barley wanted to spring down and claw Coal's face.  
  
"But," Coal mewed, still meeting Ice's gaze. "I'm no going to tell it to you."  
  
"What?!" Ice screeched, standing on the pile. Barley tensed. You could have at least told a lie! he thought. It's better than a straight-out no!  
  
"Are you sure, Coal?" Ice hissed. "Are you sure you don't want to tell?"  
  
Coal gave a firm nod.  
  
"Very well. Fangs," he meowed to the cat seated next to the pile, "what do we do with cats who don't give us what we want?"  
  
Fangs chomped nothing and slashed unsheathed claws through the air. Barley's blood turned to ice.  
  
"Well," Ice mewed, drawing his tongue over his paw, "get to it."  
  
Fangs let out a vicious snarl and dove for Coal. The black tom waited a few heartbeats too long to jump to the side, and Fangs cannoned into him. The rogue swung his claws around desperately, trying to hit his enemy, but Fangs just continued to attack.  
  
Barley shuddered up on top of the Twoleg nest. This was just like his sister's near death. In his mind's eye, Scourge sat beside his brother on the pile of garbage. Bone had him pinned down so that he was unable to help. But worst of all, his brothers, Snake and Ice, were clawing his sister to pieces unjustly.  
  
Suddenly Fangs leapt off the rogue and let out a massive yowl of triumph. The cats of BloodClan dispersed out of the alley.  
  
Barley jumped down from the building and ran over to Coal's body. He was still alive, but not for long. His eyes glimmered with recognition as he saw Barley. Then he sighed and all life faded from his eyes. Barley pressed his nose into Coal's black fur.  
  
A new scent washed over him, fresher than before. Without even glancing at the newcomer, Barley sprinted away out of the alley.  
  
Even so, the breeze carried the new cat's soft voice to Barley.  
  
"This is not over yet, brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I WROTE THAT WHEN I WAS THIRTEEN NO WONDER GAME OF THRONES DOESN'T PHASE ME


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barley returns from Twolegplace, and Ravenpaw has an unexpected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a theory that my first several chapters that were already posted online were in fact edited later, whereas everything from this point forward is directly from the roughest rough draft. The difference in writing quality is astounding.

“Barley!” Ravenpaw bounded over to his friend. “Where have you been?”

“Hunting,” Barley mewed vaguely.

Ravenpaw knew Barley well enough to tell when he was lying. “Not find anything?” he meowed sarcastically. “Barley, you like you just journeyed to Highstones and back! Don’t try lying to me.”

Barley sighed. “Coal didn’t know how to get back to Twolegplace. I took him there.”

It sounded truthful enough, so Ravenpaw left him to a nap and stalked out to drink from the trickle that was once a river.

After a few laps, a cat yowled in the distance. Ravenpaw whirled, but saw nothing.

“Ravenpaw.” A deep voice came from behind him.

“Wha—?” Ravenpaw broke off immediately when he saw the cat. He was a huge tom with thick yellow fur. “Lionheart?” Ravenpaw exclaimed in astonishment.

“Greetings.” Lionheart dipped his head.

“Have you come to tell me why I keep hearing yowls?” Ravenpaw asked him hopefully.

“No. That is for you to discover at a later time. I have come to warn you.” Lionheart padded towards Ravenpaw, and when he spoke, the words echoed in Ravenpaw’s mind. “White night has fallen. The avenger nears. But one cannot beat three.”

Lionheart touched his nose to Ravenpaw’s head. “It is rare to give multiple lives to one who is not a leader. However, it is the correct thing to do in this circumstance. With this life I give you strength. Use it well to defeat all who oppose you and your friends.”

A swirl of colors filled Ravenpaw’s vision. A deafening chorus of yowls reached Ravenpaw’s ears. The yowl he had heard three times before was the loudest of all. Ravenpaw felt as if a lion had stalked into him and roared, granting him all of its wisdom and courage.

Lionheart stepped back. “You will know when the time is right to use this life. However, you must remember that you have only two lives. Guard them both well.” Lionheart sighed. “My strength goes with you, Ravenpaw. Do not be afraid of the future.”

“Ravenpaw!” Barley called. Ravenpaw turned his head to see Barley streak out of the camp. He snapped his head back to Lionheart only to see that he had vanished. Ravenpaw looked around in confusion.

“There you are!” Barley meowed, watching Ravenpaw closely. “Are you looking for something?”

Ravenpaw searched his mind wildly. “A mouse. It ran off when you called.”

“Oh,” Barley mewed. “Sorry. Shadepelt and Loudbelly found two mice. Best hunt in days,” he added gloomily. “Come on and have some,” he continued, flicking his tail invitingly toward the camp.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Oh. Well, if you get hungry, I’ll save some for you.”

“Thanks, Barley.” Ravenpaw turned his head to the sun as Barley padded away to the camp. He mused over a topic he often thought about: his warrior name. What would it have been? Ravenclaw? Probably not. Raventail? Possibly. Ravenfeather was his favorite.

A thought came to Ravenpaw’s mind. If Lionheart had given him a life like a leader, shouldn’t his name change? Not to Ravenstar, since he only had two lives and not nine, but Ravenfeather? It wasn’t too hard.

Ravenpaw marched into the camp and strolled over to Barley. “Barley? Can I talk to you?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” Barley stared at him with concern in his eyes.

“It’s nothing big, it’s just…I never received a warrior name. I left ThunderClan the night before I would have been made a warrior. I know I haven’t been in a Clan for seasons, but still…”

“You want a warrior name?” Barley asked gently. “Like Ravenfeather?”

“Yes. That’s actually my favorite…Ravenfeather…”

Barley rose and strolled to the center of the clearing. “Let all cats gather here for a meeting!” he yowled. All the cats gave him confused looks, but at Barley’s nod, they gathered.

“Cats who live here,” Barley announced, “One of us is still an apprentice in the eyes of StarClan, though he should have received his warrior name long ago. Ravenpaw, come forward.”

Ravenpaw padded forward to stand in front of Barley. “I, Barley, friend of Ravenpaw and member of this Clan, call upon his warrior ancestors to look down on this cat. He had learned the ways of your code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Ravenpaw, do you promise to follow the warrior code and defend these cats, even with your life?”

Barley hadn’t gotten all the words right, but Ravenpaw still replied, “I do.”

“Then by the powers of StarClan, I name you as a warrior. As I am not a leader, I cannot change this cat’s name, but he is a warrior nonetheless.” Barley touched his nose to Ravenpaw’s head, and Ravenpaw licked Barley’s shoulder. Everyone called, “Ravenpaw! Ravenpaw!”

A warm feeling of happiness spread through Ravenpaw. His name may not have changed, but he was a warrior now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS SO BAD DAMN. I mean, the prophecy? Lionheart showing up to give Ravenpaw an extra life? Barley performing a warrior ceremony? Who the fuck put you in charge? You have no jurisdiction!
> 
> I am enjoying typing this shit up far more than you are enjoying reading it, let me assure you.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barley implements a plan to keep Ice off his tail.

A thought had been hitting Barley repeatedly since Ravenpaw's ceremony. It was a way to get him and Ravenpaw out of trouble with Ice--well, he could never make Ice stop hating him--but it might help. Barley slipped out through the crackly reeds. No cat noticed, so he began to pad across the short grass to the moor.

When Barley reached the WindClan border, he saw twice as many monsters working there than there were before. With a quick glance, Barley saw a patch of mud with no monsters for several fox-lengths. Grimacing, Barley stepped into the mud and let it ooze around his paws. Keeping an eye on the monsters, he rolled around, leaving the mud in patches on his skin. Barley made sure that his black patches were thoroughly covered, making him appear to be a dirty and mean white cat.

A monster roared and charged blindly towards Barley, who quickly streaked across the moor. When he had followed Coal, the monsters had been sleeping, but now they roared to life, chasing him farther and farther from the RiverClan camp.  _This isn't too bad, actually_ , thought Barley.  _At least they're chasing me where I want to go._

When Barley left the moorland, the monsters resumed their work, apparently forgetting about the intruder. Barley let out a sigh of relief, then took on full character. He squinted so that his eyes were barely open, walked with a limp like Cinderpelt's, and practiced muttering in a deep voice.

Barley entered the Twolegplace and limped around slowly. He felt cold eyes on him, watching his every move, and caught a slightly familiar scent. He whirled and squinted at the nearby alleyway. "I know you're there!" he snapped in his low voice. "Come on out!"

After some hesitation, Fangs stepped out from the shadows. "You got sharp nose," he meowed. "Cats from here have dumb sense."

"Who says I'm from around here?" Barley hissed, letting his claws slide out to show Fangs that he wasn't going to be messed with. "I'd like to know who I'm talking to."

Fangs ignored the question. "Me see you come from moor. You know area?"

" _You_ haven't answered my question," Barley snarled. "But when you do, I might answer yours."

Fangs gave Barley an evil grin. "You come with me now. There, questions answered." He flicked his tail to the alley.

Barley stomped down a forepaw to show that he would not go. Fangs roared out a challenge and dove at him. Barley leaped to the side, pushing Fangs past him with his forepaws. He dove at the white cat, rolled over so that Fangs was on top of him, and sent him flying with a powerful kick.

"Stop!" a voice called from the alley. Barley turned around to glare at his brother. "Who are you?" he asked Ice directly, praying that he wouldn't recognize him. Some mud had come off in his tussle with Fangs.

Ice just stared evenly back. Fangs butted Barley from behind, shoving him towards his brother. "He come from moor! Maybe know way around!" Fangs informed Ice, who nodded.

"I am Ice. I have been searching for one cat for a long time, for I long to see him again. Do you know your way around the moor and forest?"

"Possibly," Barley meowed vaguely.

Ice frowned. "I want a direct answer, not 'possibly.' And I want to know who you are."

Barley said the first name that came to mind. "Rod. You don't need to know anything more, except that I will not be trifled with."

Ice seemed pleased. "You would make an excellent member of BloodClan."

"BloodClan?" Barley feigned confusion.

"You do not know of BloodClan?" Ice seemed surprised. "Then you're in for a treat. Come." The final word dropped as a sharp command.

_He doesn't recognize me!_ That was all Barley could think as he halted in front of the rubbish pile. White flashed past him as Ice climbed up the heap. Fangs marched around Barley with his head held high, then took his place beside the mound.

"Rod," Ice mewed, staring down at him, "this is the heart of BloodClan. These cats," Ice flicked his tail to the dark shapes emerging from the shadows, "are BloodClan. Every tooth and claw of these cats is prepared for the glorious day when I shall take my revenge on my brother. He shall regret the day when he killed Snake!" Ice snarled out the words fiercely. Barley fought the urge to flinch as Ice's hatred filled him with indescribable dread.

Ice visibly forced his bristling fur to lay flat. "BloodClan stretches out to the borders of Twolegplace, but once, we almost had control over the forest. Scourge, that blasted idiot, ruined everything. The Clan was not joined. Only Scourge held that miserable lot together. When he was killed, everyone fled."

Including Ice. Barley could read it on his face. Ice had run. Before Scourge died.

"During that battle," Ice meowed angrily, "my brother Barley murdered Snake--my true brother, my friend, my companion--murdered! In cold blood!"

Barley could hardly keep a straight face as he was confronted with this lie. But a pang hit him, for he knew that this was a half-truth--he  _had_ killed Snake, but Ravenpaw's life had been threatened! And only one cat could he ever choose above Ravenpaw...

"So," Ice concluded, interrupting Barley's thoughts, "I have been searching for my traitorous brother ever since. Rod, you come the moor and the forest area, so Fangs informs me, and it is quite probably that you know your way around. I must ask you--have you seen a black-and-white tom cat? He has a black tom cat with white paws with him."

Barley assumed the role of Rod, spy for BloodClan. His plan was working perfectly. "I have seen him. Terrible brute. I'd do anything to get my claws on him again."

Ice seemed puzzled by this strange remark, but did not question. "Then," he mewed, "would you be so kind as to tell me his whereabouts?"

Barley frowned. "You want me to be a spy?"

Ice leaned forward. "Yes. If you know where he is now, that is very helpful."

Barley tried to look as if he were giving it some thought, but he already knew what his answer would be. "Yes, I will search for him for you. But I don't know where he is right now."

Ice's eyes glowed triumphantly. He obviously thought that he had won Rod over to his side, not knowing that this cat was only going to steer him father and farther from Barley, and one day, never return.

Barley turned to to leave, then looked back. "On one condition," he told Ice. "I get to watch him die."

"Agreed," Ice mewed, and Barley left the alleyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Barley's such a smooth criminal. Also apparently no one thought to follow Coal's scent trail back to camp. Ice is a very inadequate villain.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tragedy strikes when Ice and some of his followers find Barley and his friends.

Ravenpaw woke to see Barley sleeping like a log in his nest. He had been out hunting late last night. Ravenpaw wondered why Barley had smelled like moorland, but he had been acting so strangely lately that he did not question.

Ravenpaw sat up and watched the sun rise over the little island. He nearly fainted when a paw gave him a gentle shove.

"Hey--" Ravenpaw whirled around, breaking off when he saw Lionheart. He cocked his head to one side in confusion. "Lionheart?"

"Come," Lionheart mewed shortly, and turned to leave camp. Ravenpaw wondered what Lionheart would show him, but Firestar told him that they never gave a direct answer that solved all of his problems at once. StarClan gave little hints to make cats think, strengthening their mind and their faith to make them better.

Ravenpaw padded behind Lionheart, still questioning in his mind. Lionheart seemed not to notice and quickened his pace. Soon, he was speeding along the dead grass. Finally, he stopped at the top of a steep hill. "Now," he mewed, "do not question. Can you find your way to the camp and back?"

Ravenpaw thought for a moment. "I guess, if I have to."

Lionheart turned to face him. "You must. Go back to the camp and get all of the others to come here."

Fighting back thousands of questions, Ravenpaw whirled and sprinted back down the slope. The ground was a blur of brown beneath him. The camp reared up before him. Ravenpaw burst through the reeds. Everyone was awake now.

"Ravenpaw!" Barley bounded over to him. "Where have you been?"

"Come with me!" Ravenpaw yowled. "You must come with me!"

"Why?" Shadepelt snapped.

"I don't know! You just have to trust me!"

Barley gave Ravenpaw an extremely confused look. Ravenpaw begged with his eyes. Barley sighed. "Come on, guys. This is Ravenpaw. Would he do this unless there was a point somehow?"

The others all nodded agreement, but Shadepelt kept muttering things no cat should here.

Ravenpaw continually told them to hurry, forgetting that they were elders and that he was the youngest of the group. Loudbelly slumped down, exhausted.

They were at the hill.  _But where is Lionheart?_ Ravenpaw thought in panic.

It was silent for a long time. Finally, Barley meowed, "Good one, Ravenpaw. I even believed you. But you've exhausted every cat here for no reason!"

Ravenpaw searched desperately for Lionheart, but not even a whiff of scent was left from the golden tom. What did Lionheart want?

Frostfur turned wearily to march back down the slope. Shadepelt cast Ravenpaw a dark look and followed. Loudbelly and Speckletail padded away side by side. Just as Barley put a paw forward, a dark shape darted in the distance. More shapes followed.

"Uh...Barley?" Ravenpaw hissed.

"Yes?"

"You might want to see this."

Barley trotted up to Ravenpaw's side, then took a step back when he saw the figure streaking toward them. "Great StarClan," he murmured with horror, "Ice."

Ice was still running, but he lifted his head and stared right at Barley. There was no denying the fact that Ice had seen him. Ice yowled out to the cats behind him.

Ravenpaw called out to the leaving cats. "Shadepelt! Loudbelly! Speckletail! Frostfur! Come on! We're under attack!"

"Hurry!" Barley didn't take his eyes off Ice.

The cats streaked back up the slope, their weariness forgotten as they faced their enemies.

"Charge!" Barley yowled out the command. The group darted forward. The two armies came closer and closer.

Ice stopped his cats about a fox-length away from Barley. Fangs stood beside him. "Ice!" he snarled. "You say we outnumber Barley bad. Barley have friends!"

Ice did not reply, just glared at Barley, letting out all of his hatred. Barley was breathing heavily under Ice's cold stare.

The huge white tom gave a tiny twitch of his tail. The BloodClan cats surged forward. Ravenpaw saw with horror that they all headed for Barley.

Barley had obviously seen this, too. The cats gave Barley no time to move. Three pinned him down. Ravenpaw yowled out and dove for a ginger tabby that was on top of his friend. Shadepelt and Frostfur began to claw at a solid gray tom. The ginger she-cat hissed with fury as Ravenpaw landed on her back. She twisted out from underneath Ravenpaw and whirled around. She was huge. Ravenpaw ducked to avoid a paw swiping out at his head, then hurled himself onto the she-cat, clawing her face. The tabby squealed and pulled away, darting off towards the moor and the Twolegplace.

Ravenpaw looked around. Shadepelt had a black tom pinned, and lowered her head to give him a vicious bite on the shoulder. Frostfur and Speckletail were circling Fangs, ready to leap. Barley and Loudbelly stood at the bottom of a tree, and Ravenpaw looked up to see a very angry Ice perched on a branch.

Shadepelt bounded over to Speckletail, who was hidden under Fangs. Frostfur gave Fangs a blow to the shoulder. Shadepelt chomped at the back of Fangs's ear. Ravenpaw dashed out and leapt on top of Fangs and began to claw his back.

Fangs had had enough. He shouldered off Ravenpaw and fled with Shadepelt on his heels.

"Shadepelt!" Frostfur yowled, and Shadepelt came back. The four cats exchanged glances and headed to the tree.

Ice was not in a good mood. His whole company of warriors had been so easily defeated by his brother and a bunch of old cats! And now, he, Ice, leader of BloodClan, was stuck in a tree!

Barley began to claw his way up the trunk towards Ice. Ravenpaw suddenly noticed a change in Ice's eyes, a decisive change. Before anyone could stop him, Ice threw himself out of the tree onto Loudbelly and sank his teeth into his throat. Ravenpaw leaped at Ice furiously. The white tom released Loudbelly and swiped a paw across Ravenpaw's face, ten fled. Screeching in pain, Ravenpaw chased Ice until the cruel cat vanished through some bushes.

When Ravenpaw returned to the other cats, he found them all gathered around Loudbelly. Shadepelt crouched next to him, her nosed pressed into his fur. Loudbelly's eyes stared sightless into the sky. Frostfur and Speckletail padded over and sat on either side of Shadepelt. Barley didn't move. He sat staring off at something only he could see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have absolutely no memory of killing off Loudbelly, but apparently I did. I have no idea why Ravenpaw got that extra life. I guess Lionheart doesn't care about Loudbelly.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadepelt, Speckletail, and Frostfur demand answers from Barley, and some unexpected visitors arrive at the RiverClan camp.

Barley was the one who said the words that would guide Loudbelly to StarClan. Ravenpaw listened with watering eyes.

"Loudbelly was a fine warrior. I am sad to say that I did not know him better. In RiverClan, he was loyal and true, and he was willing to follow his Clan through to the mountains, but his age would not permit it." Barley managed to keep his voice level, but now it filled with rage. "Ice, that terrible cat who has done this...I swear, Loudbelly will be avenged!" Then Barley spoke calmly and serenely. "Let StarClan receive him with honor."

Shadepelt, Speckletail, and Frostfur gently picked up Loudbelly and padded out of the camp. Ravenpaw was surprised to smell a whiff of Lionheart's scent. "Well done, Ravenpaw," his voice mewed gently near Ravenpaw's ear.

"It wasn't well done," Ravenpaw said remorsefully. "We lost Loudbelly." Lionheart did not answer, and Ravenpaw's sorrow consumed him through the night as he slept.

* * *

"All right, Barley," Speckletail meowed the next morning. "You'd better tell us what's going on.  _Now._ "

"What?" Barley mewed, his voice still heavy with sleep.

Frostfur answered. "You know what. All these cats are attacking us."

Shadepelt joined in. "One of them said, 'Ice! You say outnumber Barley bad. Barley have friends!'"

"This is all about you," Speckletail mewed. "We can all tell. If we're all going to risk our lives, we should know why."

"What?" Barley asked, trying to sound like he didn't know what they were talking about. He was doing a pretty bad job.

Ravenpaw stepped forward. "Barley," he mewed. "They deserve to know. If you won't tell them, I will."

A sudden rustle in the reeds made everyone turn their heads. A small brown tabby she-cat guiding a ginger tabby with a badly clawed face emerged into the clearing. They both stopped dead at the sight of all the cats. Ravenpaw recognized the ginger she-cat as the one he had attacked in yesterday's battle.

"BloodClan!" he hissed. His words immediately caused confusion among the others.

"BloodClan? I thought they were scattered!"

"When did they join back together?"

"Who is their new leader?"

All of the questions jumbled together. Finally, Barley let out a yowl. Every cat turned to glare at the newcomers. The ginger she-cat flattened her ears and sheltered the brown tabby behind her.

"Peace," Barley meowed. He looked right at the ginger cat. "We will not hurt you."

"Barley!" Ravenpaw yowled, shocked. "These cats are from BloodClan! That ginger cat, her scratches, I did that."

"And they sting like StarClan," the tabby muttered. Everyone stared at her in surprised.

"How do you know about StarClan?" Ravenpaw asked.

The she-cat's gaze hardened. "None of your business!" she snapped. "Slurp, let's get out of here!" She turned, ready to make a run for it.

"Ferretpaw," the other cat meowed gently, "I don't think they'll let us."

Shadepelt purred with laughted. "Well, at least one of you is smart. Of course we won't!"

Barley glared at her, then spoke. "If you want to leave, you can. But--Ferretpaw, is it?--I don't think you'll make it too far. I can tell some of those scratches are infected."

Slurp nodded sadly. Ferretpaw hissed at her.

"You're welcome to stay here. But only if you tell us what's going on."

"Never!" Ferretpaw growled, but Slurp looked uncertain.

"Maybe we should, Ferretpaw. You need the rest," she meowed softly.

"No, I don't!" Ferretpaw seemed ready to fight everyone single-pawed.

For the first time since Ravenpaw had seen her, Slurp raised her voice. "Ferretpaw, as your medicine cat, I am telling you that you need to rest!" She turned to Barley. "Yes. We will stay."

Ferretpaw was unhappy, but she padded closer to the other cats. Then she began spitting out their tale. "Slurp and I are from BloodClan. Ice led us out here to the battle, and the merciless one here," she looked directly at Ravenpaw, who immediately felt guilty, "practically ripped my face off. The medicine cat, Slurp here, guided me over to here, and we found you guys. And we still don't know who you are."

Ravenpaw launched into introductions. "This is Shadepelt, and Speckletail, and Frostfur. This is Barley, and I'm Ravenpaw."

"Aren't you a little old to be an apprentice?" Ferretpaw asked scathingly.

"How do you know all this Clan stuff?" Ravenpaw asked in bewilderment.

Ferretpaw looked away. "Because I was once a Clan cat."

"What?" every cat meowed at once.

"Yeah," Ferretpaw mewed. "I was in WindClan. It was so boring that I ran away. Unfortunately, I still remember all of the stupid Clan rituals. The only one that wasn't dumb was StarClan, 'cause they didn't make that up. StarClan's really up there, watching over us..." Her voice trailed off. Every cat was staring at her. A BloodClan cat that believed in StarClan? Impossible!

"Slurp," Ravenpaw meowed, breaking everyone's thoughts of Ferretpaw, "you mentioned something about being a medicine cat, right?" Slurp nodded. "I didn't know BloodClan had a medicine cat."

"A lot's changed since Scourge ruled. Ice seemed like a fine leader." She turned to Barley. "You shudder at the sound of that name. Why?"

Barley sighed, a hollow sigh filled with sorrow. "It's time to tell my tale."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Laughing because I named a cat Slurp.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barley tells his story, and the Clan cats make plans with their new BloodClan allies.

"Long ago, I was a rogue kit in the town," Barley began. "I had two brothers and a sister. Jumper and Hoot were strong kits that loved getting into trouble. They talked about nothing but joining Scourge when they were older. My sister, Violet, was the runt of the litter.

"Bone came to us when we were twelve moons old and said every cat had to fend for themselves. The next day, Jumpet and Hoot set out for BloodClan. Even though it was against the rules, I stayed with Violet. We found a hollow under a bush to live in. It was alright, not the best, but we could survive. Then Bone found us.

"Violet and I were taken right to Scourge. Then, Jumper and Hoot, renamed Ice and Snake, came out and attacked Violet."

"I know what happened!" Ferretpaw meowed excitedly. "They killed Violet, and you ran away and were never seen again!"

"Hush!" Ravenpaw hissed. "You're wrong!"

"Yes, Ferretpaw, I ran away," Barley told her. "But I wasn't alone. I took Violet with me. Ice and Snake had almost killed her. I dragged her to a Twoleg nest, and she is living happily as a kittypet. I ran off into the forest.

"Now, we're going a forward a few seasons to the battle with BloodClan at Fourtrees. A cat was on top of Ravenpaw, about to sink his teeth into his throat. I knocked him off to see that it was Snake. Ice showed up, and Ravenpaw and I fought them. Snake pinned Ravenpaw again. Ice tried to keep me occupied, but I knew that I had to help Ravenpaw. Before Snake could deal the death blow, I knocked him over. I don't really know what happened, but suddenly my teeth were in his throat."

Barley broke off. Ravenpaw pressed against his friend to comfort him. "Ice ran away," Ravenpaw finished for Barley, remembering the night long ago when Barley had told him this, "but swore revenge on Barley. He somehow remade BloodClan, but stronger now."

Ferretpaw was gazing off into the distance. "So Jumper and Ice are the same cat?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yes. Scourge changed his name," Barley answered.

"But Ice always said that he was Scourge's family, that he was nobility, he should be honored..." she trailed off sadly. "So all that was a lie?"

Ferretpaw looked like a tiny lost kit. Slurp gave her a friendly lick on the ear. "Ferretpaw," she mewed softly, "you know Ice. Is he an honest cat?"

The ginger tabby shook her head. Then she looked Barley straight in the eye. "I want to help," she mewed, her voice full of determination. "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it. I swear by StarClan."

Barley was so shocked that he couldn't speak.

Slurp stood up. "I will, too."

Barley seemed ready to let them in as spies on BloodClan, but Ravenpaw wasn't so sure that they should just trust any random cat. Barley mewed, "Thank you. Please help us."

"Barley!" Ravenpaw saw his own shock and horror reflected in any other cat's eyes. Then, he felt Lionheart beside him.

"Ravenpaw," Lionheart murmured. "Followers of StarClan can be trusted." Lionheart vanished as quickly as he had come.

Ravenpaw turned back to Barley. "Never mind," he meowed, immediately knowing that Lionheart spoke the truth.

* * *

 

Ravenpaw's paws flattened slowly and silently on the dying grass. His victim, the mouse a tail-length away, beat upon a seed in attempt to crack it open. Ravenpaw crept closer. This was the fattest mouse he had seen for a moon. He didn't want to lose it. The black tom dragged himself forward, cutting the distance between him and his prey in half. A rustle came from the nearby bracken. The mouse raised its head as a ginger shape flew on top of it.

"Ferretpaw!" Ravenpaw yowled, forgetting that he was scaring away any precious prey that still remained. He glared at the WindClan runaway. "What are you doing? That was my mouse!"

Ferretpaw held Ravenpaw's stare. "It doesn't matter whose mouse it was. Besides, I got it first."

Ravenpaw didn't like Ferretpaw that much. She reminded him of Sandstorm. He wondered if they were related. If they were, Ferretpaw wouldn't be so easily shaken. Ravenpaw stalked away in annoyance. He wanted to get as far away from her as possible.

* * *

 

That night, Barley announced that he had a plan.

"Ferretpaw and Slurp will go back to BloodClan to spy. I will come every other night to the edge of Twolegplace. One of you will come there to tell me what's going on. Now, do either of you have friends who might be willing to help?"

Slurp shook her head, but Ferretpaw mewed, "Yes, my friend Zeus. He agrees with me on everything."

"Good," Barley told her. "If you're certain he will help, tell him."

Ferretpaw nodded. "We'd better leave early tomorrow morning and tell Ice that Slurp had to find somewhere to treat my scratches." She cast a glance of mock anger at Ravenpaw, who snorted.

"Well," Barley announced, "tomorrow, the fun begins!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure I understand Barley's definition of "fun." Also, Ferretpaw is just Squirrelpaw and it's weird.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barley resumes his role as a spy for BloodClan, and he and his new BloodClan allies make plans for the future.

Ferretpaw and Slurp were gone when Barley woke the next morning. Ravenpaw was sleeping like a log in his nest. Shadepelt, Frostfur, and Speckletail were huddled together at the far end of the camp. Barley trotted over.

"Good morning, Barley," Speckletail greeted him.

"Hello," he mewed.

"We were just talking about BloodClan attacking. Some cat must have told him where we were," Frostfur informed Barley. He nodded, his mind starting to work.

"Well," he began thoughtfully, "who arrived here in the last moon or so and then left?"

Every cat was lost in thought. "No one," Shadepelt mewed finally. "Wait--Coal! Coal was here!"

 _But Coal's dead_ , Barley thought.  _How could Ice know?_ Then he remembered watching Fangs slaughter Coal. He saw himself jumping down from the Twoleg nest, then fleeing, hearing Ice's quiet, menacing voice saying, "This is not over yet, brother." Had Barley led Ice to the camp?

"Are you alright?" Shadepelt asked. "You look awful."

Barley shook himself. "I--I'm just hungry. I'm going hunting," he mewed, and padded out of camp.

Once Barley had pushed through the reeds, he made up his mind. It was time to pay another visit to Ice. Not only could he steer Ice away from the camp, he could check up on Ferretpaw and Slurp.

The black-and-white tom began to pad towards Twolegplace. He managed to catch a scrawny thrush that satisfied his hunger. He arrived at the moor before too long--or what used to be the moor. Shock filled Barley at all of the useless mud before him. Then he realized how easy it would be to disguise himself. He rolled in the mud, making sure that his black fur was well covered.

Twolegplace came into view just after sunhigh. Barley continued towards the town. Soon, the mud under his paws was replaced by the dirty stones of Twolegplace. His paws instinctively followed the way to BloodClan's alley. A shadow loomed up before him as he padded to the rubbish pile.

A white shaped turned at Barley's approach. "Rod!" Ice meowed. "How good to see you. Any news of Barley?"

"I saw you attack," Barley replied in the low voice that used for Rod. "Barley left that area after the battle."

"Well?" Ice asked frantically. "Where did he go?"

"The Twoleg dump," Barley replied. At Ice's look of confusion, he explained, "Follow the road closest to the edge of town. After a while, it turns. The turn leads straight to the dump."

Ice nodded. "Thank you, Rod. You're already better than our last spy--you give directions."

"Just one thing, Ice," Barley meowed. "Don't kill him without me there. I need to see it. Agreed?"

Ice rolled his eyes. "I thought we already did this!" he muttered. "Agreed." Ice nodded to a cat behind Barley. "Zeus, Ferretpaw, escort him out."

Barley could have yowled for joy. This was perfect! Ferretpaw and Zeus!

He was a flash of ginger as Ferretpaw came beside him. A massive brown tabby appeared on Barley's other side.  _This must be Zeus,_ he thought as he stared at the ferocious looking tom. Ferretpaw and Zeus both gave him a nudge. He stayed in character, glared at them, and padded away. His escorts never got more than a pawstep behind him.

When the three cats were halfway to the moor, Ferretpaw and Zeus suddenly stopped. "Alright, Rod," Ferretpaw growled. "Start talking."

"What are you talking about?" Barley asked.

Zeus snorted. "You know exactly what she's talking about. Barley and his friends aren't at the dump. Why would you tell Ice that?"

Barley prepared himself. He opened his eyes from their squint and shook himself fiercely. Mud splattered everywhere. He turned to Ferretpaw and said in his normal voice, "It's me."

The ginger tabby's eyes stretched wide. "Great StarClan!" she mewed. "Barley!"

"Shh!" Barley warned, and Ferretpaw quieted down.

"Zeus," Ferretpaw meowed, "this is Barley." She turned to him. "You were Rod this whole time?" Barley nodded. Ferretpaw's eyes sparkled with delight. "You're good, Barley."

"Ferretpaw," Barley asked, "how long do you think it'll take Ice to attack?"

Ferretpaw frowned. "Well, since last time he attacked and lost, he's going to plan more carefully. A few days, probably."

Barley nodded. "I'm coming back in three."

Zeus turned and hissed at the shadows. It was so sudden that Barley jumped back. "Who's there?" Zeus snarled.

Pawsteps came from the shadows, soft and hesitant. A dark foreleg emerged, and a black tom walked slowly from his hiding place.

"Ravenpaw!" both Barley and Ferretpaw yowled at the same time, and immediately broke off. They were still near BloodClan.

"So this is what you've been sneaking off to do," Ravenpaw mewed levelly.

Barley dropped his jaw in astonishment. "You knew I was coming here?" he asked. He'd tried so hard to hide his visits to Ice as Rod!

But Ravenpaw shook his head. "I knew that you were going somewhere," he replied. "I just didn't know where."

Barley sighed. "Well, Ravenpaw," he mewed, "now that you're here, we'd better plan something out."

Ravenpaw nodded and meowed, "How about if Barley comes as Rod in three days like he said, but the rest of us eavesdrop somewhere?"

"On the roof," Barley told them. "I hid there when Fangs killed Coal."

Ferretpaw and Zeus looked at him in surprise. "You were there?" they mewed as Ravenpaw asked, "Fangs killed Coal?"

Barley nodded to answer all of them at once. "Three days, then," he meowed evenly. "Then we can discuss our plans for the future."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Barley's Rod disguise must be something else, because no one recognizes him until he splatters mud everywhere.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barley and Ravenpaw fill everyone else in on their plan, and Barley decides that they need a Clan name.

As soon as Barley and Ravenpaw arrived at the RiverClan camp, Ravenpaw made Barley tell the others everything. Silence greeted his words.

"So," Speckletail mewed, breaking the long emptiness, "you've been acting as a fake spy for BloodClan behind our backs?"

Barley looked down at his paws, uncomfortable. "Yes," he admitted. "That's basically it."

"No, Barley. Don't get embarrassed. You're a genius!" Speckletail yowled. All the other cats nodded in agreement.

"We have three days until the next visit with BloodClan," Barley informed them. "Until then, we should probably keep an eye on the Twoleg dump. That's where I told Ice we were. We want make sure he doesn't attack there before three days."

"Ice," Ravenpaw hissed. "He has a pelt of soft, snow-white fur, but inside he's as black as the thickest of nights." Suddenly, Ravenpaw's mind drifted back to when he had first been visited by Lionheart. He recalled the prophecy that he had long forgotten:  _"White night has fallen. The avenger nears. But one cannot beat three."_

'White night' obviously meant Ice, and 'the avenger' must also be Ice, as he neared battle and discovering Rod's true identity. But 'one cannot beat three'? What was that supposed to mean? Could it be that--

"How about Ravenpaw?" Shadepelt's question interrupted his troubled thoughts.

Barley turned his head to Ravenpaw. "Are you up to take a patrol to the Twoleg dump with me?" Ravenpaw leaped to his paws. Barley chuckled. "Not right now, mouse-brain. Later." Ravenpaw grunted and flopped back down. Then he crept over to his nest to get rest before his patrol.

* * *

It was strange be on a patrol again after so many seasons. He had last been patrolling when he was still a member of ThunderClan. It was different, however, with Barley.

"Ravenpaw," Barley asked, "what's the opposite of blood?"

"What?" Ravenpaw questioned, confused.

"I've been thinking," Barley meowed, "if we're living together and challenging another Clan, we need a Clan name." He turned to Ravenpaw. "SkyClan?" he asked.

"No," Ravenpaw mewed. "This might sound weird, but I have a strange feeling that that name has been taken."

"Okay, if you say so," Barley meowed. "What's the opposite of blood?" he asked again.

Ravenpaw thought. "Blood, I can't think of anything. BloodClan, a lot."

Barley pricked up his ears. "Like what?"

"Truth, kindness, selflessness, sanity, light, might...those are all good opposites of BloodClan."

"But those don't make good Clan names. TruthClan, LightClan...and SanityClan doesn't even make any sense!" Barley pondered for a moment. "Light..." he murmured. "What do you think of when you think of light?"

"The sun. Stars. The moon."

Barley sighed. "We're getting nowhere. SunClan and MoonClan have nothing to do with being opposites of BloodClan, and StarClan is taken!" He let out another sigh, then mewed, "Bluestar."

"What?" Ravenpaw asked.

"I think of Bluestar when I think of light."

"Me, too," Ravenpaw agreed. Both toms exchanged glances, then meowed, "BlueClan."

"I guess we have to act like a Clan now," Ravenpaw mewed. "What do you want me to do, Barleystar?"

Barley chuckled. "Well, Ravenfeather, my good deputy," he meowed sarcastically, "you can join me on patrol to the Twoleg dump--carrionplace."

"Which is right there." Ravenpaw halted and flicked his tail toward the dump a few fox-lengths away. Twoleg garbage was piled as high as the oaks once stood at Fourtrees. Ravenpaw wrinkled his nose at the stench of carrion.

The two toms padded wearily forward. They circled the dump, scenting nothing but Twoleg rubbish. As they rounded the corner, Ravenpaw picked up a new scent: BloodClan! He flicked his tail, urgently signalling Barley. The cats dove behind a pile of junk, and Ravenpaw peered around. Fangs and two other cats he did not recognize were prowling through the dump, sniffing every piece of rubbish.

"Not here!" Fangs spat.

"Oh no," Barley murmured. "They know we're not here. They'll go back and tell Ice, and then Rod is over."

"Not if we defend our territory like true warriors of BlueClan!" Ravenpaw meowed. With  yowl, the two friends bounded around the pile they were sheltering behind and flung themselves on their enemy.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trying to comprehend the brain of thirteen year old me and am coming up empty. I have no idea why Barley pitched LightClan, SunClan, and MoonClan--all of which are adequate Clan names--but still went with BlueClan.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BlueClan defends itself against BloodClan, and Ravenpaw dreams of Twolegplace.

Air flew through Ravenpaw's whiskers and filled his ears with a deafening roar. His enemy's head came closer and closer with every heartbeat. The ginger tom's eyes widened with shock as Ravenpaw hurdled towards him. The two warriors collided. Ravenpaw sank his teeth into the ginger tom's shoulder, while the BloodClan warrior slashed toward him with thorn-sharp claws. Ravenpaw launched himself backwards, barely avoiding the blow. The ginger tom leaped after Ravenpaw and landed on top of him, knocking the breath of out him. Ravenpaw yowled out in pain as claws slashed his belly again and again. Then, suddenly, the tom reared up. Ravenpaw slipped away and darted around the tom to see Barley perched on his enemy's back. He leaped off and the tom fled towards Twolegplace.

Ravenpaw glanced around. Barley had chased off the other she-cat, but Fangs was still there. Barley and Ravenpaw exchanged a glance, then dove for him.

The massive tom's eyes widened in surprised, but he leaped backwards. Both cats landed in front of him. Fangs lashed out at Ravenpaw, catching his shoulder. Barley darted around Fangs and jumped onto his back. Fangs rolled over to crush Barley underneath him, but Barley saw it coming. He dove away as Fangs rolled, and Ravenpaw leaped and pinned the white cat down, clawing at his exposed belly. Barley sank his teeth into Fangs's tail. Fangs clawed at the ground, his eyes glancing around wildly. He let out a howl of pain. The two toms released him, and he backed away, cursing, then fled after his companions.

Barley and Ravenpaw looked at each other. Barley had a long scratch along his haunches, and Ravenpaw's shoulder stung where Fangs had clawed it. With a glance, he saw that it was still bleeding. Barley padded over and began to lick it. Ravenpaw sat down and let his white-tipped tail slap the earth. His head drooped with sudden exhaustion.

"It's good we showed up when we did," Barley meowed, sitting next to him. "Hopefully, they'll think we really are staying here."

Ravenpaw sighed, then stood and meowed, "Come on. We'd better get back to the  _real_ camp."

* * *

 

Shocked expressions greeted their tale back at the old RiverClan camp. Shadepelt crouched low to the ground, her teeth bared and tail lashing as if she confronted a whole Clan of enemies. Speckletail and Frostfur pressed anxiously together, their fur bristling.

"They actually checked the dump? BloodClan isn't as stupid as I thought," Speckletail growled.

"No, they're the same cats as before." Barley sighed. "Only now my brother is leading them."

Barley stared sightless down to the ground. Ravenpaw pressed up against his friend's side comfortingly. He recalled everything Ice had done to hurt Barley. He had attempt to murder his own sister to punish him. He had tried to kill Barley numerous times. He had killed Loudbelly unjustly. And this terrible cat had a band of tough rogues from Twolegplace! He was almost as bad as Tigerstar!

"Well, at least they think we actually live at the dump," Frostfur's voice cut into Ravenpaw's thoughts. "Thank StarClan you got to the dump right then."

Barley nodded in agreement. The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon, so the cats of BlueClan settled down into their nests for the night.

* * *

 

Blackness filled Ravenpaw's mind. Then came a blinding flash. Ravenpaw saw Fangs and the two rogues he and Barley had fought at the dump. They padded into the BloodClan alley. As they neared the rubbish heap, Ice trotted up to them. "Are they there?" he demanded.

"Yes," Fangs snarled. "Attack us. Idiot Rod not lying."

Ice nodded and flicked is tail, indicating that he wanted to speak with him alone. Fangs prowled after his leader to a spot behind the rubbish pile. "While you were gone, we took some captives." Fangs flicked his ears in surprise and interest as Ice glanced over to two cats.

A small orange tabby crouched fearfully to the ground. Beside her, a white tom sat up, talking happily to all the cats who passed, receiving glares from everyone.

"I wish Barley could see this," Ice mewed.

Ravenpaw's attention focused on the captives. The she-cat looked very familiar somehow. Where had he seen her before?

A ginger tabby padded up, and glance around. Ravenpaw recognized Ferretpaw. She whispered something to the she-cat, who responded quietly. Ferretpaw recoiled, then dashed out of the alley with fear and worry in her eyes.

Ravenpaw jolted awake. The sun was rising, turning the sky pink. The fear in Ferretpaw's eyes had disturbed him. Who was that tabby? She seemed so familiar, as if they had met before. Ravenpaw sat for a long time, watching the sun rise and warm the cracked earth. The other cats began to stir after the sun was high in the sky.

"We'd better send another patrol to the dump," Barley meowed. "I'm not sure if Ice could be convinced with that battle, and he could send another patrol. Speckletail--"

Barley broke off as Ferretpaw burst into the camp. She was breathing hard, as if she'd run all the way from Twolegplace.  _And she did_ , Ravenpaw thought, remembering his dream. The terror in her eyes was also there.

"Ferretpaw?" Barley asked in confusion.

"Barley!" Ferretpaw gasped, "Ice has your sister!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, my fight-scene writing skills had improved. A little.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BlueClan rushes to the aid of Barley's sister Violet, and runs into some unexpected friends on the way.

"What!?" Barley demanded.

Ferretpaw drew in a sharp breath. "Ice found her and a white kittypet and took them back to the alley! Barley, Ice is going to kill her at sunhigh!"

"Kill her?" Barley echoed. "We have to go now!" He glanced anxiously at the other cats. "We have to help Violet!"

All the cats of BlueClan nodded and rose. They bounded out of camp after Ferretpaw. Ravenpaw stayed close to Barley as they ran, trying to comfort him. Barley remained tense, his fur bristling as he ran as fast as his paws could carry him.

When they reached the moor, Barley yowled, "Wait!" and threw himself into the mud.

"What are you doing?" Speckletail hissed.

"It'll be best if I go in first as Rod," he meowed, thrashing in the mud. "Just to see everything. You all can wait on top of the Twoleg nest next to the alley."

"What's this?" a new voice asked.

Ravenpaw whirled around, ears flattened, ready to fight if the new cat was an enemy. What he saw made his jaw drop in amazement.

"Graystripe!"

"Ravenpaw!" Graystripe darted forward to touch noses with his friend. "Barley, Speckletail, Frostfur, Shadepelt..." his voice trailed off at their serious expressions. "What's going on?"

"Who's that?" Shadepelt asked, flicking her tail. For the first time, Ravenpaw noticed a silver tabby she-cat crouching behind Graystripe, her tail twitching nervously.

"This is Millie," Graystripe answered. "She comes from the Twolegplace."

"She's a kittypet?" Speckletail asked in amazement.

Millie's fur began to bristle, but then she forced it flat. "Yes, I was a kittypet. Now I travel with Graystripe."

"So what's going on with you?" Graystripe asked, sitting down. "Where are the Clans?"

"The Clans left--" Ravenpaw began, but Barley stepped forward and cut him off.

"It's a long story. Graystripe, will you help us with something?"

"What?"

"We have to go right now. We can explain on the way." The urgency in Barley's voice must have reached Graystripe and Millie, because they both nodded.

The eight cats bounded across the moor, explaining everything to Graystripe and Millie. Before long, they reached the edge of the Twolegplace. Now, the cats traveled silently. Ravenpaw glanced up. It was almost sunhigh, almost time when Ice would kill Barley's sister. With a jolt, Ravenpaw realized why the tabby in his dream had seemed so familiar--she looked like Barley.

The alley came into sight. Ravenpaw and the other cats crept up the boxes to get on top of the Twoleg nest. Ferretpaw sneaked into the alley, so that Ice wouldn't know that she had gone. Barley glanced around, then padded into the BloodClan alley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GRAYSTRIPE AND MILLIE ARE IN THIS!?!?


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BlueClan arrives to help Violet, and a fight breaks out.

Barley fought to control his fear as he walked towards the rubbish pile. Ice was perched on top of the garbage, his eyes gleaming. Two cats crouched at the base of the pile. With horror, Barley recognized Violet and Fuzz, the white kittypet who had taken care of her.

Ice was gazing around the gathered cats of BloodClan, checking to see if every cat was present. When his gaze fell on Barley, his eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Rod?" Ice asked. "What are you doing here?"

Barley replied in his low Rod voice. "More information about Barley. Am I not welcome?" he bared his teeth in a growl.

"No, you're very welcome," Ice mewed. "In fact, you're just in time. Whatever you've learned about Barley's whereabouts can wait. Right now, we've got an execution to get done."

Barley let his gaze wander over to his sister. Her white paws were trembling, and she stared at the ground. "Who's that?" he growled, fighting to keep his voice from trembling.

"Oh, that's Barley's sister and some idiot kittypet." Ice let out a snarl. "I just wish Barley were here to see this!" He looked out at the crowd. "Cats of BloodClan!" he announced. "Today we see an execution!"

All the cats yowled out. Barley saw Ferretpaw, Zeus, and Slurp join half-heartedly. Aware that he had the support of his audience, Ice continued. "Here before you, you see Barley's sister, Violet, who should have died long ago! And here with her is the idiotic kittypet who was sheltering her in his Twoleg nest! They must both be punished!" Once again, BloodClan howled their approval.

Ice looked down to his trembling sister. Fuzz gazed defiantly up at Ice, who took no notice. All of his attention was on Violet.

"Now," Ice told the Clan, thought Barley had a strange feeling that he was also talking to himself, "I shall do what should have been done years ago!" His last words turned into a yowl, and he flung himself off the pile and towards Violet, who let out a shriek of terror.

It was as if a different cat controlled Barley, He darted forward as fast as he could and barreled into Ice when he was a mouse-length away from Violet. Ice rolled painfully on the ground. Angrily, he looked up to see who had interrupted. Shock filled his eyes, only to be replaced by cold anger.

"So," he mewed silkily, "the great Rod thinks he can interrupt, does her? Does he think that this is unfair?" BloodClan laughed cruelly.

Barley just growled, then turned to his sister. "Don't worry, Violet," he murmured. "He didn't kill you before and he won't kill you know." Raising his voice, he looked back to Ice. "I won't let him."

"Who are you?" Ice whispered menacingly.

Barley stretched his eyes out of their squint and meowed in his normal voice, "You know who I am."

"Barley!" Ice screeched, and flew on top of him. The attack took Barley by surprised. He struggled helplessly beneath his brother and heads Violet yowl out his name. Ice's eyes smoldered down at him. "This is the end for you," he snarled. His paw raised to give the death blow. Barley prepared to meet StarClan.

Then, Ice reared back, trying in vain to throw off the black cat perched on his back.

"Ravenpaw!" Barley yowled, scrambling to his paws.

With a quick glance, Barley saw that all the cats on the roof had come down, Graystripe and Millie leading them. The BloodClan cats surged forward to help their leader. BlueClan was hopelessly outnumbered. They needed to kill Ice quickly.

Barley turned back to Ice. He had thrown off Ravenpaw and had the skinny tom cornered. Barley yowled, throwing himself at Ice. Before he reached the BloodClan leader, a white shape crashed into his side. He and the other cat rolled over on the hard ground. Barley recognized Fangs.

Snarling, Barley rolled until Fangs was beneath him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a gray cat sneaking over to help Fangs, but Zeus leaped onto his back. Barley bit down on Fangs's throat until he tasted blood. Fangs's struggles grew weaker. He tried to growl defiance, but his eyes glazed over and his struggles stopped.

Barley released the dead cat and looked for Ice. To his relief, Millie had dropped back to help Ravenpaw. Ice and the silver tabby were a screeching ball. The two cats broke apart, panting.

A loud roar made Barley look to the entrance of the alleyway. The BloodClan cats scattered.

Before Barley could even move, Ice had him pinned down. No matter how hard Barley struggled, he could not break free. He waited for the death blow, but it never came.  _He's waiting for the monster to get me,_ he realized. The thought made him thrash harder.

The paws of the huge monster drew closer, until they were less than a tail-length away. Ice jumped off and darted away. There was no way to escape. Barley squeezed his eyes tightly shut, waiting for the crunch of bone.

Then he gasped as he was thrown aside. His eyes snapped open to Ravenpaw slip down and be crushed under the paws of the Twoleg monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember this part! Not Barley killing Fangs, though.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BlueClan and BloodClan complete their long-awaited battle.

Ravenpaw did not know what he was doing. All he could see was a Twoleg monster less than a tail-length from Barley. He darted forward and threw himself into Barley, tossing his friend aside, sliding to the ground. Ice's cruel eyes glittered at him from the shadows, and he was aware of Barley yowling for him. It was his dream! For a heartbeat, he heard a sickening crunch and felt a terrible pain in his spine. Then everything was gone...

* * *

Ravenpaw woke at Fourtrees. All four oaks were back, and Ravenpaw was confused. Then he saw Lionheart.

The golden tom was sitting calmly beside him. "Welcome," he mewed.

Ravenpaw scrambled to his paws. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Remember, Ravenpaw? The monster in the alley?" Ravenpaw nodded. "You were willing to give up your life for your friend. And you have. But you have another."

"What?" Ravenpaw asked. Then the memory came rushing back to him, when he had first seen Lionheart and the golden warrior had given him a life.

"You...you said...I would know when to use it. But..." Ravenpaw trailed off. "I  _didn't._ I didn't know what I was doing."

"Ravenpaw," Lionheart meowed gently, "admit it. In the back of your mind, you knew exactly what you were doing."

Ravenpaw looked down at his paws. "When can I go back?"

"You may now." Lionheart padded forward and touched his nose to Ravenpaw's head. "My strength goes with you..." he murmured.

Around Ravenpaw, Fourtrees faded into darkness...

* * *

 

"Ravenpaw!" Barley yowled. As soon as the monster was on the other side of the alley, he darted forward. "Ravenpaw?" he asked. "No...Ravenpaw..."

A hiss of annoyance came from behind Barley, and he whirled around to see Ice. "Even a monster can't kill you!" the BloodClan leader snarled.

"You..." Barley growled. "This is all your fauly!"

" _My_ fault?" Ice's eyes widened in mock hurt. "Well, we don't have time argue about whose fault it is. It's time to end this. Right now."

Barley crouched, his fur bristling, mirroring his brother.

"If you're against him," a new voice mewed, "then you're against me." It was Ferretpaw!

"Ferretpaw?" Ice asked. "What are you doing?"

"Fighting with my friends!" she replied.

Ice let out a wordless snarl and leaped at Barley. Another BloodClan cat flew at Ferretpaw. Then Barley was fighting for his life. But not just his life. Barley was filled with an uncontrollable rage, a desire to avenge Ravenpaw. Barley slipped away from his brother and dove onto his back. He clawed as fiercely as he could. Ice pulled away, whirled around, and slashed at Barley's face. His claws raked across Barley's cheek. Yowling, Barley flew at Ice, but his brother leaped up and collided with him, sending them both backwards. Barley screeched as his back hit the hard ground. Ice landed on top of him, squashing the air out of him.

Barley hissed. How had Ice pinned him again? Ravenpaw wasn't here to save him this time.

"I've been waiting a long time for this," Ice mewed in evil triumph.

Then, a black shape careened into him. Ice rolled in a tussle with the newcomer. The new cat placed one paw firmly on Ice's neck. Barley saw Ice's eyes widen with pure shock before the cat's jaws closed on his neck. Those eyes found Barley, glittering with hatred before they glazed over.

For many heartbeats, Barley could do nothing but stare at the body of his brother. Then, he turned his head to look at his rescuer. His jaw dropped in astonishment.

"Ravenpaw?" he asked, his voice quavering. "But...but how?"

Ravenpaw stepped forward and touched noses with his friend. "I'll tell you later," he promised.

Barley realized that he didn't care how. Ravenpaw was alive, and that was all that mattered.

Barley had hardly noticed that the BloodClan cats were fleeing. He glanced around. Speckletail and Frostfur stood in front of Violet and Fuzz, shielding them. Barley pushed past them to see his sister.

Violet raised her head. "Barley?" she whispered, as if she still didn't believe that her brother was there.

"Violet," Barley murmured. "I'm here." The brother and sister pressed against each other, and Barley felt that not even StarClan could have separated them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I guess Ravenpaw is a murderer now...


	17. Chapter 17

Alive.

It felt so strange to be alive after the monster ran him over. Ravenpaw could still remember the terror on Barley's face as the monster came towards him, and the rush of air as Ravenpaw shoved his friend aside, the unbearable pain as the monster's massive paws crushed his back...

Ravenpaw shuddered. He shook his head to forget the terrible memory of death and decided to check on the cats of BloodClan. Speckletail and Frostfur had guarded Violet and Fuzz, and were still with them. Shadepelt was a few fox-lengths away, keeping a wary eye on the entrance to the alley.

Ferretpaw was padding towards him, her eyes shining and her tail high. Ravenpaw raised his tail in greeting. "We've won, Ravenpaw!" Ferretpaw meowed joyfully. "And..." she trailed off, staring at something just beyond Ravenpaw. He turned to see a motionless bundle of tabby fur.

With a terrible wail, Ferretpaw ran past him. "No! Zeus!" she yowled, pressing her nose into Zeus's fur. Her voice sank down to a whisper. "Zeus. No. Don't leave me. Zeus..." her voice wavered.

Ravenpaw padded over and pressed his nose into the tabby's pelt. "I'm so sorry, Ferretpaw," he murmured.

Ferretpaw turned slowly to look at him, her amber eyes brimming. "He was my closest friend," she whispered. "He was the only cat in BloodClan who understood me. I...I loved him." She closed her eyes and turned her head away. When she looked back, her eyes were full of uncertainty. "How can I love you, too?"

Ravenpaw was taken aback. Ferretpaw loved him? But, deep in his heart, he knew that he truly loved her back. He stretched forward to touch her nose. Ferretpaw's eyes filled with joy, though still tempered with the loss of Zeus.

"I will stand beside you always," Ravenpaw promised, meaning every word. Both cats turned back to the body of Zeus. "I'll be right back," Ravenpaw mewed softly. "I just want to check on everyone else." Ferretpaw nodded. Ravenpaw touched his nose to her cheek, then padded away to Shadepelt.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she answered, then added in a low voice, "Loudbelly is avenged."

"He is safe in StarClan," Ravenpaw told her, then trotted over to Speckletail and Frostfur. "Everything okay over here?" he asked. Both she-cats nodded. Ravenpaw dipped his head and walked towards Barley. He was talking with Violet. Ravenpaw stopped, not wanting to interrupt, but Barley had already seen him. He beckoned Ravenpaw over with his tail.

"Violet, this is Ravenpaw," Barley informed his sister when Ravenpaw sat down. "He's a good friend of mine. Ravenpaw, this is my sister, Violet." Ravenpaw waved his tail in greeting. "Violet needs to get back to her housefolk," Barley mewed, "but there may still be hostile BloodClan cats around."

"She could stay here for a night or two," Ravenpaw suggested.

Barley nodded. "I was thinking that. But Violet doesn't want to?"

"What about Ice?" Violet asked in a small voice. "What if he tries to kill me again?"

"Ice is dead, Violet," Barley murmured, so gently that Ravenpaw thought it could melt the heart of even Tigerstar. "He will never hurt you again." Violet shuddered and pressed her tiny nose into Barley's bloody fur. The black-and-white tom rested his muzzle on Violet's head. "Stay here for a few days. We'll take you home soon. I promise."

Violet nodded, and Barley indicated with a flick of his tail that Ravenpaw should go. He dipped his head and returned to Ferretpaw.

The ginger tabby was still crouched over Zeus. Ravenpaw sat beside her and gave her a quick lick on the ear. Then, he began to groom Zeus's fur. Ferretpaw licked beside him until the tabby was shining. Then, they settled down to keep a vigil for their fallen friend.

* * *

"Everyone, please listen!"

Barley's call echoed around the alley. Ravenpaw lifted his head from his paws. The black-and-white loner was standing in front of the heap of garbage. Ravenpaw stood and stretched. Ferretpaw trailed behind him and sat next to him, twining her tail with his. The others quickly gathered, and Barley began. "I know I am not a Clan leader, but there are some things I want to say. First, our friend Zeus has gone to join StarClan." Ferretpaw stared at the ground while everyone murmured sadly. "He was struck down in battle, the most honorable death."

Everyone was silent for a long time. Then Barley continued. "We have a better chance here than we did in the RiverClan camp." The gathered cats glanced up in surprise. "Ferretpaw and I can teach you how to find food."

"What?" Shadepelt asked disbelievingly. "Live here, among Twolegs?"

"He has a point." Ravenpaw turned, surprised to hear Millie speak up. "With the state the forest is in, it's no wonder the Clans left. With your small group, you'll have a much easier time finding food here."

"I agree," Ravenpaw sad. "We should stay here in Twolegplace."

Shadepelt looked like she still had her doubts, but she nodded. Graystripe rose to his paws. "Millie and I should be on our way," he told them. "We intend to follow the Clans' path and try to find them. But it was an honor to fight alongside you." He dipped his head to the cats around him.

Ravenpaw rose to touch Graystripe's nose. "I don't think I'll ever see you again," he said sadly.

"Probably not," Graystripe agreed. "But I think you'll be okay."

"I hope you find them," Ravenpaw meowed.

"Me, too," Graystipe replied. He touched noses with Speckletail and Frostfur, then he and Millie turned and left the alley, continuing their ongoing quest to find the Clans.

"So, Barley," Frostfur meowed. "What's next?"

Barley considered for a moment. "We need to find a place to bury Zeus. Ravenpaw, can you take care of that?"

"Of course," Ravenpaw answered, pressing against Ferretpaw.

"And we need food," Shadepelt meowed. "I'm starving."

Everyone laughed, and set about helping to bury Zeus or find food. It would be a good life here in Twolegplace. It would be different, but they were warriors of BlueClan. They could handle anything thrown their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this actually wasn't finished, and everything after Shadepelt said "live among the Twolegs?" I just now made up. But, voila, here is the multi-chapter cat fanfiction of my childhood.


End file.
